Editorial Review:Product Description:Logitech's Harmony 890 remote control uses both radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) wireless signals to deliver powerful complete control of your home-entertainment system that may be hidden behind cabinets. With a wireless range of up to 100 feet, the Harmony 890 remote sends RF commands to a wireless receiver, which then blasts infrared signals to the components. The Harmony 890 remote makes universal control for home entertainment and advanced lighting systems simple.
How does it work? Just connect your Harmony remote to your computer and the Web wizard walks you step-by-step through a simple set up. Enter in your model numbers for your components, then answer a few easy questions about how you ?Watch TV? or ?Watch a DVD.? You´ll be controlling even the most complex system without any of the hassles of elaborate programming. Easily view and select. Color display icons and 8 on-screen activity buttons make it easy Effortlessly switch between watching HDTV and listening to music, by selecting a single activity button - Just press one of the Activity buttons, such as ?Watch TV? or ?Listen to Music,? and it automatically sets
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Good Features but Poor Ergonomics and frustrating software.
The features of this remote are well documented and some are quite good but want to comment on why I chose not to keep this remote.
First, I found the button layout to be very hard to use without looking at the remote. My ideal remote is one that I can use without looking at the buttons. The button shapes and sizes in the Harmony 880 and 890 are too similar and too close together to easily locate by touch. I tried to adapt to it for almost a month before giving up. The key buttons for me are volume, mute, skip forward, fast forward, skip back, play, and pause. When I watch something on Tivo those buttons are the ones I use most. Because of the location and similar shape of those buttons in the 890, I frequently pressed the wrong one unless I looked at the remote.
The second issue I have with the 890 is that one cannot make any changes to the remote without first updating the RF module. Even if one only wants to rename a button, he must first disconnect the RF module from the power supply and all the IR blasters, connect it to his computer and update it. Only then will the Logitech software allow one to update the remote. It is very frustrating to have to go through all that to make simple changes to the remote.
I decided I really did not need an RF remote so I replaced my 890 with the newer Harmony ONE. I am very happy with the Harmony ONE because all the important buttons are centrally located and are of different shapes. The Harmony One is very easy to use without looking at it.
If you really need an RF remote, I recommend you look at the ones made by Universal Remote Control (URC) before buying the 890. If you don't need the RF feature, get a Harmony ONE.
Rating: 
-
Awesome remote! Worth the upgrade!
Just got the Harmony 890 remote a couple of days ago, and it's AWESOME! I upgraded from the Harmony Xbox 360 Remote because of the RF capabilities of the 890, and I must say that it's been great! My home theater is set up so that the components are behind me, and being able to control them all, without having to contort my self to aim the remote behind my back is HEAVENLY!
The only cons that I've experienced with this remote are:
1. The documentation that comes with the remote is beyond useless. I had to figure out, on my own, how to update the firmware in the RF receiver, as it's not mentioned on the quick set up poster (just so happens you just plug the receiver into a USB port and click "Update Remote". Go figure.)
2. The trial and error of getting everything to work correctly took a LONG time, and can get frustrating. Updating both the remote AND the receiver when you discover something doesn't work correctly gets REAL tedious when you're initially setting the thing up. When you're done, it's worth it, though!
Other than that, I have no complaints with the remote. No, it doesn't power on or off the PS3, but that's because of Sony deciding to use Bluetooth instead of infrared or RF (like ever OTHER device in the world!) It DOES control the other functions of the PS3, if you use the Nyko Blu Wave Remote PlayStation 3 Blu Wave Remote, which is very cool!
Also, the people complaining about having to use the internet to setup the remote... we should welcome them to 2008! Is it even feasible to expect a remote to operate the MILLIONS of different electronic devices in the marketplace WITHOUT downloading codes from the internet? What about newly released electronics? Should it just "know" all of these codes too? Crazy!
All I'm saying is, if you've got a little time (and a wee amount of patience), then this remote is great! If you're actually sick enough to ENJOY configuring electronic devices to work exactly as you wish (like yours truly!) then you will LOVE it!
Rating: 
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Non-functional software
Wow. Not only was the CD defective, but neither the Mac version or Windows software would successfully update the remote. Looking at the support forums, seems to be a common issue, and people have complained that Logitech has not been very helpful solving the issues.
Rating: -
Value for the money.
890 works great for a one room one zone unit. For more zones choose the Pro. I own both. Good support.
Rating: -
intel macs-forget it
After repeated installations and removal of software (no easy simple deletion task), never was able to get the software to operate. I have a macbook pro with osx.5. Save yourself a lot of frustration and time by avoiding this product.